Kerala Election 2016: BJP offer ticket to tainted cricketer Sreesanth

BJP is planning to field tainted cricketer S Sreesanth as its candidate for Kerala Assembly elections to be held on May 16.

Sreesanth said he would decide on whether to contest in the election by Wednesday, 23 March.

"I will let you know my decision by tomorrow," Sreesanth told PTI but declined to give further details.

Members of Sreesanth's family said he received a call from a top BJP leader in Delhi requesting him to contest from Thrippunithura Assembly constituency. They also said Sreesanth is likely to meet BJP chief Amit Shah when he visits Kerala.

When contacted, Kerala BJP president Kummanam Rajasekharan said the state leadership was not aware of the move but "things will be clear in two days."

A top BJP leader also said someone from BJP's central leadership must have contacted Sreesanth directly "as he is a celebrity".

If Sreesanth decides to contest the elections, he is likely to fight against state Excise Minister and Congress leader K Babu for Thrippunithura seat in Ernakulam district.

The CPI-M has not announced its candidate to the seat.

After being exonerated in the 2013 IPL spot fixing-case by a Delhi court last year, Sreesanth is now a busy actor. He is currently shooting for a Hindi film produced by Pooja Bhatt.

Babu, a close confidant of Chief Minister Oommen Chandy, has been winning from Thrippunithura since 1991.